GoKawiilMira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab highlights gap in naming Silicon Valley's top women
A profile piece follows Thinking Machines Lab founder Mira Murati at a black-tie AI-industry gala in San Francisco, where she struggled to be heard over a chattering crowd despite her prominent status as a former OpenAI CTO who now runs a $12 billion startup. The writer uses the scene to explore why, unlike male tech leaders such as Elon Musk, Jensen Huang or Sam Altman, no single woman comes quickly to mind when people are asked who holds the most power in Silicon Valley.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The anecdote underscores a persistent visibility gap for women in tech leadership, even those running major AI companies with billion-dollar valuations. It suggests that despite growing female representation in executive roles, industry culture and media narratives still center power around a handful of male figures.
- Mira Murati leads Thinking Machines Lab, a $12 billion AI startup she founded after leaving OpenAI.
- At a San Francisco AI industry gala, Murati was repeatedly talked over by attendees despite her stature.
- The piece questions why no woman is named as readily as men like Musk, Huang, or Altman when discussing tech power.
Source: wired.com — Lauren Goode, 2026-09-21
Published there as: “The Search for Silicon Valley’s Most Powerful Woman”
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